The kanji 岬 (みさき) primarily represents a "cape," "promontory," or "headland." It refers to a point of land that juts out into a body of water, such as an ocean, sea, lake, or river. This character encapsulates the idea of a landform that extends outwards, often forming a distinct feature along a coastline.

・On-yomi (音読み): こう (kō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): みさき (misaki)

⚫︎岬に行く Translation: To go to the cape. ⚫︎〇〇岬 Translation: Cape 〇〇 (used in place names). ⚫︎岬の灯台 Translation: The lighthouse on the cape.

The kanji 岬 is a pictographic compound. It combines two parts: 山 (yama), meaning "mountain" or "hill," and 部 (be), which originally depicted a “ear” but evolved to mean a small part or a protrusion. Together, these elements visually represent a "mountain" or "hill" (山) that "protrudes" (部) out into the water, forming a cape. The 山 component indicates the land, while the 部 element suggests the way the land extends out. Over time, the form and meaning solidified into the single kanji we see today.